Message from the Executive Director VISION

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1 Message from the Executive Director The only way to accomplish our goals and objectives is through a management effort based upon staff inclusion and communication where boundaries between divisional components no longer exist. Division Directors and their staffs must interact and communicate with each other in order to perform the tasks involved in fulfilling the Commission s mission. I believe, as Executive Director, that the Commission is well on its way to reaching this goal. I am very fortunate to have such a talented, committed and dedicated staff who clearly understand the needs of the youth for whom the Commission is responsible. I will do my best to keep the employees of the Juvenile Justice Commission informed of changes as they take place. I will periodically issue updates to all employees to keep you informed. I will use these updates to announce new policy initiatives, staff changes and share other priorities with you. It is important to me that everyone understands the direction in which the Commission is moving whether you are a superintendent or support staff. In order to make a difference in the lives of youth and to be successful as a Commission, we must do it together. VISION The Juvenile Justice Commission is redoubling its efforts to ensure that the safety, security and rehabilitation of troubled youth and the safety of the public are our primary responsibilities. As a staff, we will raise our level of consciousness and our dedication; we will strive to be responsible and professional; we will perform our work with integrity so that every resident is given every opportunity to be successful. If this vision can be achieved, then youths lives will be changed, redirected and, hopefully, no longer involved in the criminal justice system. In order to meet our vision, the following initiatives are in development and/or process. Mission Statement The Juvenile Justice Commission s mission is to foster public safety and reduce delinquency by: 1. Holding youth accountable for their lawbreaking; 2. Providing opportunities to achieve positive change and rehabilitation of youth under its supervision; and 3. Promoting opportunities for positive growth and development of youth in their communities.

2 The Juvenile Justice Commission s new mission statement accurately and succinctly describes the Commission s responsibilities. Lynn Lucas, Policy Unit; Michael Aloisi, Research and Evaluation; Sharon Lauchaire, Public Information Officer; and Lisa Macaluso, Director of Local Programs and Services deserve credit for putting the Commission s purpose into words. Dignity and Respect Training Central to the mission of the Juvenile Justice Commission is the manner in which the juveniles in its care are treated, as well as how staff treat each other. The Commission has recently undertaken an ambitious, mandatory training effort, under the direction of the Deputy Executive Director, known as Dignity and Respect Training. Staff from the Department of Law and Public Safety s Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Office provide the training, which is required for all staff. Additionally, the Commission s Office of Education is simultaneously adding a dignity and respect curriculum to the educational programming of the juvenile residents in all Commission facilities. Every employee is expected to treat juveniles in the Commission s custody fairly, sensitively and in a caring manner, setting an appropriate example through their own behavior. Division of Juvenile Parole and Transitional Services The term aftercare no longer appropriately describes this division s function. It is recognized that if the Commission is to be successful with the youth committed to its custody, then aftercare must commence as soon as a resident arrives in the system. As such, please note that the name of this division has changed to Juvenile Parole and 2 Transitional Services to more accurately reflect its mission. By beginning the parole process upon a youth s entry to the Commission, staff can ensure that when the Parole Board has determined that the juvenile is ready for release, complete familiarization with the resident and an appropriate support network will be in place prior to his or her departure. Division of Investigations The former Internal Affairs Unit has now been designated as the Division of Investigations. Under the leadership of Thomas Flanagan, and with the help of Wimson Crespo, this Division will ensure that the Commission conducts prompt and thorough investigations of all allegations of misconduct. Division of Operations Population/Identification Effective immediately, youth assigned to the Juvenile Justice Commission are to be referred to as residents ; the term resident is no longer permitted or accepted. Juvenile Disciplinary Program Paramount to the success of the new incentive-based program is the creation of a new discipline program that is appropriate for a juvenile population. In 1995, when the Juvenile Justice Commission came to existence, the adult discipline program utilized by the Department of Corrections was adopted. While suitable for an adult population, such a discipline program did not comport to the needs or direction of the Commission. The newly designed Juvenile Disciplinary Program uses Disciplinary Review Teams. These teams

3 will soon replace Department of Corrections Hearing Officers. Further, room isolation will be adjusted to time frames appropriate for a juvenile population. New Jersey Training School - Monroe Township The New Jersey Training School in Monroe Township, New Jersey, will serve as the focal point of the Juvenile Justice Commission. The Division of Operations is in the process of developing an innovative incentive-based program, which recognizes residents for positive development and accomplishments. Cottages at the New Jersey Training School will be tiered to allow residents to strive towards less structured housing environments (i.e. honor units ). As residents begin to demonstrate positive adjustments and progress in the educational process, incentives will be offered as acknowledgment for such behaviors. It is believed that as residents take greater responsibility for their behaviors, such an incentive-based program will foster greater independence and trust, and will allow the resident to prepare for return to the community. Juvenile Medium Security Facility Bordentown The Juvenile Medium Security Facility is currently in the process of being redesigned as a readjustment unit for juvenile males who continue to demonstrate negative, aggressive or disruptive behavior. Under a highly structured educational program, all residents are afforded state-mandated educational programming. Additionally, all residents will receive intensive training in: a) the newly developed Dignity and Respect curriculum; b) the incentive-based program; and c) the new Juvenile Disciplinary Program. Through the program offerings, residents at the Juvenile Medium Security Facility will be strongly encouraged to return to the New Jersey Training School so that they may be appropriately directed to positive, productive lifestyles. Community Programs As mentioned earlier, education will also be the foundation for the residential community homes. In the future, residential community homes will foster greater opportunities for our youth to interact with their communities. The residents ability to interact with their communities is important in the development of support systems that will ready juveniles for the next phase of community reintegration. Responsibilities within Community Programs have been divided among Regional Program Supervisors. Felix Mickens will serve as the Northern Regional Supervisor and Robert Montalbano will serve as the Southern Regional Supervisor. Special needs programs will report to Special Needs Administrator, Barbara Chayt. Steve Morocco and Robin Josey will report directly to the Director of Operations as Special Assistants. St. Joe s Residential Community Home As many of you know, the Commission was forced to move out of the St. Joe s program located in Trenton. The rented building space had fallen into such disrepair that the decision was made to remove Commission youth and staff in order to protect their safety. The administration is actively seeking to identify a new location for the program. The staff of St. Joe s deserves to be commended for relocating the juveniles so quickly and efficiently, as well as for accepting temporary assignments at other Commission programs until a new home is found. 3

4 Superintendents Efforts are underway to enhance the residential component of the Division of Operations by internally raising the importance of the roles of Residential Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent and initiating a career path within the organizational structure. By empowering Superintendents and their staffs, new opportunities for our juvenile residents will result. Three new superintendents have been named pending JJC Executive Board approval: Lisa Sallad, Camden RCH; James Doone, Jr., Green RCH; and Tamiko Smith, Valentine RCH. Several other superintendents have been reassigned. The list below details the changes and the regional breakdowns. Northern Region Green RCH, James Doone, Jr. Essex RCH, Darvin Bethea Warren RCH, Freddie Simmons Voorhees RCH, Pat Kepple Albert Elias RCH, Cleo Hendrix D.O.V.E.S., Francine Williams Valentine RCH, Tamiko Smith Hudson Day/Liberty Park, Andy White Elizabeth Day, Vivian Davis Southern Region Manor Woods RCH, Guy White Southern RCH, Dave Baker Camden RCH, Lisa Sallad Campus RCH, John Sellars Ocean RCH, Carl Jones Edison Prep, Malik Muhammad Cumberland Day, Morris Reid Monmouth Day, Jerrel Alston Burlington Day, Bob Shaloo Atlantic Day, Ellen Fauntleroy Special Needs Fresh Start RCH, Leon Mills Pinelands RCH, Kim Spencer-Hudgins Secure Facilities New Jersey Training School (NJTS), Jack Cuttre Juvenile Medium Security Facility (JMSF) and Juvenile Assessment and Reception Center (JRAC), Sheila Thomas Stabilization and Reintegration Program (SRP), Kathy Tumolo Female Secure Care and Intake Facility, Linda Thomas Harborfields, Atlantic County Juvenile Detention Center, Kimery Lewis Special Needs - Mental Health The recognition that juveniles have mental health issues that must be treated in a caring and positive manner is vital. Recently, the Juvenile Justice Commission established a special needs unit for residents with mental health concerns. CONCEPT, a 24-bed program located on the grounds of the New Jersey Training School, is an acknowledgment of the Commission s commitment to this most serious issue. Established via the state government bidding process, a private vendor, Center for Family Guidance, provides roundthe-clock care and treatment. The assistance of the New Jersey Training School administration and uniform staff, as well as the Commission s Special Needs Administrator supports that effort. Tuberculosis Infection Control Program The Juvenile Justice Commission has implemented a comprehensive Tuberculosis Infection Control Policy governing all juvenile residents and employees in residential facilities who, in the course of their normal duties, have direct contact with juvenile residents. The policy affects juveniles and employees in 4

5 secure care, residential community homes and day programs, as well as employees in juvenile parole. The control of tuberculosis in the Juvenile Justice Commission will be accomplished through the early identification, isolation and treatment of persons with the disease, use of engineering and administrative procedures to reduce the risk of exposure and through the use of respiratory protection. Juvenile Assessment Tool Jennifer LeBaron, Ph.D. has been leading the collaborative efforts of the Research and Evaluation and the Classification Units to enhance the Commission s ability to identify and plan for the service needs of youth through the development of the Comprehensive Informational Assessment & Case Action Plan (CIA/CAP). The CIA/CAP promotes a systematic and coordinated approach to assessment and case planning. The focus of the first phase of development has been the Intake Assessment component of the CIA/CAP, which provides a structured means for collecting, streamlining, and documenting information regarding each youth s unique circumstances, and for using that information to assess and prioritize each youth s service needs. The development of the Intake Assessment, including the automated JIMS-based Intake Assessment Program, as well as a User s Guide & Reference Manual, is now complete. The first step in the implementation plan is to conduct a series of workshops for staff who will play a fundamental role in completing Intake Assessments for newly committed youth. More information regarding the CIA/CAP, and specifically the Intake Assessment, will be forthcoming as implementation begins to get underway. 5 Chaplaincy Services While the Commission has always provided religious opportunities for the juveniles in its care, this newly formed unit was created based upon understanding the central role that faith plays in many communities and families, particularly in the urban neighborhoods that reflect the majority of the Commission s population. In order to help juveniles succeed upon their return to the community, the Commission has made it a priority to allow the young men and women in its care to strengthen their faith while they are residing in secure or residential community homes, regardless of their religious denomination. Participation in religious services and instruction is voluntary. The Commission also understands that the toughest challenges often face a juvenile upon return to the community when the structure of a Commission facility is no longer provided. Through the Office of Chaplaincy Services, headed by Rev. Joseph Taylor, and its Community Collaboration Initiative, the Commission partners with the faith-based community to help these juveniles succeed. Mentors are drawn from the neighborhoods and communities where the youths reside, creating valuable bridges to resources, as well as a sense of citizen ownership for the prevention of criminal activity in their neighborhoods. Training Unit First Assistant Attorney General and Director of Criminal Justice Peter Harvey recently joined Executive Director Beyer and members of the Commission for the ribbon-cutting of the new joint Division of Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice Commission Training Facility at Sea Girt.

6 The state-of-the-art facility provides barracks, classroom and office space for training initiatives, as well as a mock courtroom for training purposes. Many JJC staff helped make this project a success including Chief Training Coordinator Mike Cleary and his Training Unit staff and Facilities Supervisor Keith Poujol and his staff. Table of Organization The new Table of Organization as approved by the Juvenile Justice Commission s Executive Board is available on the Commission s web site: Policy Unit The Commission is pleased to announce that Herb Whelan has joined the Policy Unit. Herb most recently served the Commission as Supervisor of Juvenile Facilities and Services. EEO/AA Ralph Rivera, Jr. is currently serving as the Commission s Acting EEO/AA Liaison to Deborah Edwards, the Department s EEO/AA Officer. Through the new Dignity and Respect Training, the Commission is committed to ensuring that its employees are treated with respect in the workplace. All staff are encouraged to forward any concerns to Mr. Rivera through the Yvonne Lemane, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. to also act as the Commission s Custodian of Public Records. Robin Josey of Operations will assist with this responsibility in her absence. Staff should be aware that OPRA request forms are available at each JJC building. For further information on the Open Public Records Act, request forms, or to submit a request form electronically please visit: ADA Coordinator Health and Safety Officer Keith Poujol has assumed the responsibilities of both the JJC ADA Coordinator and the Health and Safety Officer. Anyone with concerns in these areas should contact him directly. Coming in the Next Edition: Office of Education Local Programs and Services Gang Prevention Initiative New ID Badges Open Public Records Act - Records Custodian The Open Public Records Act (OPRA) makes more government records available to citizens and makes it easier for citizens to gain access to government records. Sharon Lauchaire will continue to serve as the Commission s Public Information Officer and has agreed 6